


Make Lemonade

by clockwork_spider



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, talking through trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-31
Updated: 2016-12-31
Packaged: 2018-09-13 18:59:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9137233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clockwork_spider/pseuds/clockwork_spider
Summary: Ruri rant about trauma over a glass of lemonade. Dennis is not that bad of a listener.Sometimes it’s easier to open up to someone whom you care less about.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Based off of a small headcanon here. Back when Ruri was in the tower, Dennis and a few other students were often sent to keep Ruri company, because solitary confinement really fucks people up and Leo still sort of cares about the reincarnations of his daughter.
> 
> After a while she just started ranting to Dennis whenever he’s there. They weren’t friends, but she needed someone to talk to and Dennis was at least a familiar face.
> 
> They got into a bit of routine there, which carried on to after Ruri’s free. Once in a while they’d just meet and chat. It’s mostly Ruri ranting, but she also ask about how Dennis is doing.
> 
> A bit of alternative character interpretation on the both of them.

“Why did it have to be a tower?” Ruri said, pointing a finger in the air as she took an elegant sip from her lemonade.

“Like, really? It couldn’t be something less cliche? Does Leo understand what it feels like to look out the window, and seeing nowhere to run? To know that the only way out is guarded and that you’re hundreds of feet above solid ground? I mean, I’m still ¼th of his daughter. Doesn’t he care?” She shook her head, long hair swaying as she tsks, “Or maybe he specifically chose it, to instil a sense of helplessness. It certainly worked that way.”

“I don’t think the Professor really thought about it that way,” offered the listener. Dennis didn’t mean to defend the man, he was simply being frank.

“He didn’t really think much of anything, really,” Ruri said curtly.

Well, Dennis supposed she wasn’t wrong.

“Being locked up alone for that long does things to your head, you know. I was so… angry. I hated everything. Even now, sometimes I find myself angry at everything, and I don’t even know why. I’m safe, life’s good, yet I still feel so angry.”

She took a less elegant gulp from her lemonade. Dennis took a sip from his own, to avoid giving an answer. It was pretty sour.

“Yuto and Shun loves me so much, and it makes me so happy to be with them. But I-” she bit her lips, and pushed her hair behind her ear, she does that when she’s frustrated, “I don’t know how to explain to them, that I’m angry, that I want to destroy things. I… wasn’t always like this. I use to be such a positive person, and I want to be the old Ruri for them. Sweet, idealistic Ruri. Yuto’s such a sweet boy, and I feel like he… deserves a girl who’s positive and happy, his old sweetheart. And I… I just want to be her again.”

She sighed wistfully. Ever so elegant. Her anger contained, controlled, manageable.

It occurred to Dennis that these are things the girl haven’t told even her closest friends. He didn’t know how to feel about that, the fact that he knew a side of Ruri that no one else were allowed to see.

“I’m sorry, I’m not blaming you for this,” she rationalized. She knew she was being passive-aggressive, she didn’t feel too bad about it, though. "I know you had your circumstances, and honestly it probably wouldn’t have made any difference if you defected from Academia.”

“You should probably blame me,” Dennis answered, because honesty must be reciprocal, “You are a kind person, Ruri. But when you refuse to blame other people for anything, then you end up blaming yourself, and hating yourself for your own powerlessness, your own bitterness.“

“You shouldn’t hate yourself, Dennis.” Ruri offered, with an angelic smile. Dennis choked on his lemonade.

“Wow, thanks,” Dennis laughed, in between coughing helplessly.

“Sorry. I-“ she laughs while scoffing lightly, “-I’m really tired of hating. And I meant that, really. I really do think you should be lighter on yourself. But I have to admit, it’s sort of satisfying seeing my kidnapper being guilt ridden.”

“You’re discovering your inner sadism, that’s okay.”

“And you must be a masochist.” Ruri rolled her eyes.

“I’ve always spent a lot of time thinking of the type of person I am, and the type of person I’d like to be. And to be honest I’m pretty disappointing,” Dennis rambled as he toyed with his straw, "But I think… instead of trying to be who we want to be, maybe we should just… _be_. I think you’re already pretty amazing for even trying to be good. I didn’t even try for the longest time.”

“Wow,” Ruri said, “was that sincere?”

“Yeah,” said Dennis. Ruri decided to believe him. Dennis didn’t have a good track record for honesty, but Ruri figured that believing in something positive and reassuring wouldn’t hurt.

“Still, I feel like a hypocrite. I’ve always told Shun to forgive, and I can’t even do it myself.”

“Well, I doubt he’d judge you for it. Besides, your brother’s an ass, he tried to kill me once. You’re still miles ahead of him.”

“First of all, you don’t get to say shit about my brother. Second of all, you were probably asking for it.”

“Yeah I told him about kidnapping you.”

Ruri gave Dennis a look of shock, disappointment, and disgust.

“You are such an asshole!” She punched him in the shoulder, because he deserved it, “Why do I even like you?”

“Must be part of my devilish charm,” Dennis actually had the audacity to wink in the midst of a wince.

 _‘Oh god,’_ Ruri thought, _'he really is a masochist.’_

“Anyway,” Dennis recovered, "I don’t think you need to be who they expect you to be. They’d love you regardless, right?”

“Of course.”

“You don’t owe it to anyone to be the perfect version of yourself,” Dennis said, looking uncharacteristically serious, a hint of desperation to his voice, “you’re too nice to hate yourself. Please don’t do it.”

Ruri smiled.

“I hate it when you’re being so honest,” she shook her head. The straw made a dry sound as she tasted air.

Maybe they could both do better.

Maybe they were alright as they were.


End file.
